Oh, friend, if you learn nothing else from growing a garden, let it teach you that you have a loving and patient God who is willing to rejoice over you in good times, and tenderly tend to you in the bad.
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” John 15:1-2
My husband and I recently started a garden. As in from scratch, never planned or gardened before. And, geesh…has it been a journey! Let me preface this by saying, I do not have a green thumb at all! Actually, before this whole gardening gig, I had the not-so-nice nickname of Morticia. Yes, the mother in the Addams Family who is always toting around wilted and black flowers.
So, when my husband asked me if I was interested in growing a garden, I laughed – out loud! What was he thinking? Didn’t he realize who he was asking? But, when we began to talk more about it and I uncovered the real reason why he wanted to start planting, my heart melted.
This past year has been a rather difficult one for our family, and if I were being honest, I have had moments where I have questioned everything…including my faith. After my mom suddenly passed last year, I entered a difficult season of raising feisty teenagers and riding the turbulent waves of grief. I needed her wisdom and guidance and without it, I felt like I was failing at everything.
My husband saw me transform right before his eyes from a bubbly and outgoing wife to a withdrawn and passive bystander. So, I guess he saw a need to jolt me out of my hopeless fog. Well, my reaction to planting a garden was as to be expected. A roll of the eyes as he went on and on about gardening beds and soil, to heavily sighing at the thought of all the “work” that would be involved. I felt overwhelmed and lacked the motivation. At least I did at first.
But… then he started putting it together and grabbed my hand, leading me to help. And I don’t know if it was his boyish grin that got me or the fact that he was doing this to make “me” feel alive, but I found myself slowly enjoying it!
Oh, sweet sister, if you are in need of a spiritual awakening or a refreshing of your faith, just hear me out. Now, I’m not saying gardening is the answer, but what I am saying is that there sure is something about it that can awaken a part of us that may have been asleep for a while. And I would love to share with you just how it has helped me on my own faith journey. Maybe it can give you a little encouragement, and who knows, maybe it will even get you to start planting your own seeds - of faith.
What Gardening Can Teach Us About Our Faith
There is something truly therapeutic about gardening. Immersing your hands in the soil, feeling the sun on your back, and then finally reaping the reward, seeing the sights of new growth. It makes me think about how God must see us. Due to His wild and incredible love for us, when we grow and mature in our faith, it must be so rewarding for Him. Just like those times our own children ask us questions about God, or do things that God calls them to, and our hearts skip a beat while being filled with joy. Can you imagine how much greater it is for our God as He sees it play out in real life across each and every generation? Wow, just wow!
Through this journey so far, (although it’s only been a few months), I can see a subtle change in my demeanor, and honestly, I feel different. Something has changed in me, and I like it. I am not saying it all has to do with the gardening, but with the time, energy, and effort we have poured into this project, something is shifting, and God is moving in my heart. Sure, planting baby seeds comes with plenty of hardships (which I will get to in a moment), but at the same time it opens up pathways to let God in and let me communicate with Him in the stillness (Psalm 46:10). It is truly beautiful.
God Is Our Master Gardener
The thought of knowing we have a master Gardener who cares for us should give us so much comfort. Whether we are vibrant and blowing in the breeze, bearing much fruit, or we are slowing down and withering in need of hope to revive, God sees it all and cares for each and every one of us.
As I look into our garden and see the ones that are producing great fruits and vegetables, I smile and am so excited. But, when I see the ones that are sad, with droopy stems and leaves, my heart breaks a little. I'm pretty sure that's how God feels about us. Being that He is the Way, Truth, and Life (John 14:6), He rejoices in those who are bringing glory to His name and living this life abundantly, yet He longs to bring comfort to those who are hurting (Matthew 11:28).
The truth of the matter is that our amazing God has a beautiful way of tending to us, lovingly helping us grow, giving us nutrients and the supplies we need to not only survive but thrive. Yet, we often get caught up in the things holding us back. I think about our poor, fragile new plants that sprung up and got devoured by these sneaky little cutworms. Then after a while, some of the ones that began to take off and grow got chewed up by insects. Grrr. Makes me think of Song of Solomon 2:15. It also made me see that whether we are a brand-new believer or one who pledged our faith long ago, we must hold on tightly to the Vine in order to keep growing in our faith.
Pruning Is Necessary
John 15:1-2 tells us that Jesus is the Vine and God is our Gardener. If we are to bear good fruit, we must allow Him to prune us, shape us, and mold us to be more and more like Him. When the summer heat started taking out the majority of our plants, I was heartbroken, maybe a tad bit angry too. I was reclaiming my inner Morticia. I had failed them, and I was ready to give up!
But my hubby doesn’t give up so easily. So, we went outside and stood over their sad state, scratched our heads a little bit, then realized that they just needed a little love. So, I put on my momma’s planting gloves and got to work. By the time I was done, they were back to being tiny stubs again, but they were ready for new (and hopefully improved) growth.
Although I have wanted to give up, something inside me makes me go check on those little green sprigs. It’s as if God woos my heart, breathing motivation back into my weary soul, inviting me to tend to something that won’t talk back or test my patience (yes, I am referring to my children) and reclaim that I still have a purpose. When I water them, He fills me up. When I tend to them, He tends to me. When I prune, shape, and mold, He prunes, shapes, and molds me.
Seasons Will Change
While this hasn’t been the most productive season, mostly due to a baking soda accident, those awful cutworms, and the heat that has scorched nearly everything in our yard, we are not losing hope. We wholeheartedly anticipate a do-over this fall. Yep! We may have failed at this first attempt, got knocked down, and grew a little disheartened that most of our little plants are barely hanging on, but we will not be defeated. A new day (season) is coming! We will get a reprieve from this heat, we will be able to till the soil, get rid of those pesky pests, and start again.
And just like that, the dawning of a new season allows for hope to rise (Ecclesiastes 3:1-22). If anything, gardening has given me a greater appreciation and deep respect for our local farmers and ranchers. Growing vegetation takes passion and patience. It takes determination and a willingness to fail but try again with hope.
Oh, friend, if you learn nothing else from growing a garden, let it teach you that you have a loving and patient God who is willing to rejoice over you in good times, and tenderly tend to you in the bad.
"Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, 'The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.'” Lamentations 3:22-24
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